


Changing Time

by Rhoynar



Category: The Lorien Legacies - All Media Types
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-05-03
Updated: 2015-06-22
Packaged: 2018-03-28 19:01:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 20,349
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3866191
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rhoynar/pseuds/Rhoynar
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Adamus Sutekh has only one favour to ask, give him the power to save One's life. Wish granted</p><p>“The tragedy you look to alter. Time will find a way to replace it. Where there ‘was’ death, there will always ‘be’ death”</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

_‘How could I have been so stupid? I got caught shoplifting for fucks sake.’_ I thought. Hilde is definitely going to be pissed, not just the ‘you’re grounded’ pissed but like, pissed.

“We’ve contacted you’re grandmother, Hilde” says a short, black detective with a grubby, half-formed moustache. He strokes it as if in deep thought. “The brand on your ankle” He gestures towards my ankle.

Suddenly I’m nervous ‘ _Could this man be a Mogadorian?’_ I mentally shake myself ‘ _since when are Mogadorians short and black?’_ Of course the answer was, they’re not, this was just an overzealous detective, doing his job a bit too well.

“Would that happen to have come from some kind of gang initiation?” The detective asks politely, as though being nice is going to get me to reveal all my secrets.

“Yeah, I’m in a gang called the Space Invaders. We do surf-by shootings. No lifeguard can stop us” I sneer

Suddenly the door to the interrogation room burst open and a tall, pale man walks in. Immediately I get the feeling that something is wrong, that pale skin isn’t natural. I realise that I’m in a whole lot of trouble.

“Detective Johnson, I believe this interrogation is over” says the tall man.

‘ _I knew it, he’ll break me out of here, and then kill me’_ I begin to think

“On whose authority?” asks the detective, who stands straight to face the intruder. He tries to look intimidating but that’s hard to do when you’re two heads shorter than the other.

“The authority of the Federal Marshal Service. My name is Deputy Mark McCormick and this girl is under witness protection” He lifts up a badge and shows it to the detective. The detective frowns. “The pictures you took of her” he continues “What have you done with them?”

“The pictures?” The detective repeats “They have been uploaded to the system, the only thing left to do is to upload a picture of that brand on her ankle, I suspect its gang affiliated”

I don’t understand, is this Mog trying to wipe all traces of me being here? Maybe he just wants the cops in the dark, so when we leave he’ll kill me, and no one will ask questions.

“Well…” the Mog begins “You’re right, that gang is hunting her, she testified to some illegal activities, and if you post that picture of her ankle mark, she’ll be in terrible danger”

The detective nods “What should I do? Forget this ever happened?”

“By all means remember it, record it if you must, just leave out the picture of her ankle brand and this discussion in your report. Write that you let her off with a warning and no special action was taken against her. Make the report as normal and inconspicuous as you can. This isn’t a request detective, this is an order” Says the Mog, standing so he emits power and control, he successfully intimidates the detective.

“I might have to make a few calls” mumbles the detective “To ensure this is legitimate”

“By all means, make those calls”

The detective leaves the room, leaving me alone with the Mogadorian. “Are you going to kill me now?” I ask

“One, always so blunt. No, I am not here to kill you, but when he comes back” he gestures to the door that Detective Johnson left through “he’ll have found out I’m not in law enforcement, and then we’re both screwed” he says, sitting in the chair across from me.

This guy is younger than I thought, he only looks like he is 19 or 20

“What are you doing? Are you helping me? Or coming up with a creative way to kill me?” I sneer at him “Don’t think I don’t know what you are”

“And I know what you are” he states “You’re the person I came here to save”

I’m taken aback “What?”

“I can prove it, but not here. We must get back to Hilde, pack your things, and I’ll show you. I can’t tell you everything yet, we don’t have a lot of time. I need you to trust me” he’s speaking quickly

“And why would I trust a Mogadorian?”

“Because, you already have”

He’s speaking in riddles, I have no idea what that is supposed to mean. But something about the way he said ‘you already have’ gets under my skin. It feels sincere. I know accepting his help is my only option but I don’t want to, not from him.

He holds out his hand “Now’s the time, now or never”

“You said you could prove that you’re here to help me, prove it” I demand

“We don’t have enough time” he’s getting impatient, good, he’s more likely to slip up.

“I have all the time in the world” I say confidently

“No” he says sadly “No, you don’t”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

He shrugs off my question “You never really liked Wade, he was hot, and you were stupid”

How on Lorien did he know that? Only now that he says it that I realise its true “Who are you?”

“My name is Adamus, Adamus Sutekh, and I am your only hope at survival” His hand is still outstretched, I take it. I expected his hand to be cold and revolting, but his hand is warm and if anything he squeezes my hand a little too tight, like he’s afraid he’ll lose me. “Come on” he says “We have to go, now”

We get up and he drags me to the door. He opens it just a crack and peers out. “The coast is clear” he says and he opens it the rest of the way. Gingerly we walk down the hall, the officers and administration clerks don’t look twice at us. I guess it’s because Adamus is in an impeccable black suit, projecting authority. He still grips my hand, he looks totally in control. Except for his eyes which dart every which way, scanning for threats.

“Who are you?” I ask as we walk

“I told you, I am Adamus” he pauses “But I prefer Adam”

“I know dipshit, I know your name. I mean, who are you?” I repeat

I expect my insult to rattle him but he smiles, a genuine smile “I am the man who saves your life”

“What do you mean saves? Don’t you mean saved? You dumb Mogs don’t even too how to use tense” we are nearing the entrance to the police station when we hear a gun cock behind us.

Adam freezes. “Who are you?” yells detective Johnson, aiming a glock squarely at Adams back.

“What’s with everyone and asking that question?” he whispers. I can’t help but smile. Who knew Mogs cracked jokes? He grabs my hand firmly and swings me so I stand facing him, his body shielding mine from the detective. He is close, too close, instinct tells me to pull away but there is something in his eyes, fear. He had not expected this. “Whatever happens, run. Keep running, the airport you choose, there will be two Mog scouts waiting, kill them both. Don’t get on the flight, run. Stay in America, stay hidden” he whispers hurriedly.

“What? Aren’t you coming? You said you would explain everything” I say, what am I doing? Am I seriously asking a Mog to run away with me? Even though I can tell he’s trying to help me, that or he is a really good actor.

He smiles “And I will” he pauses “If I don’t die here” He leans down and hugs me, I’m too surprised to do anything, my arms just hang limp at my sides. He brings his face next to mine, I can feel his breath on my ear, the ground trembles. “Run” he whispers, and I do.

This building starts to shake as I sprint for the exit. I open it and turn watching the building vibrate as though an earthquake were happening right beneath it. I hear a gunshot, then a grunt of pain. Suddenly energy bursts, rippling through the ground, knocking me off my feet. Adam runs out the door a second later, his arm bleeding profusely.

“You’re a Garde?” I ask as he runs out of the building

“No” he says, lifting me off the ground with his good arm.

“You’re a human?”

“No” Hilde’s car screeches to a stop out the front and gestures for me to get in

“You’re a Mog then?” I ignore Hilde who is yelling for me to hurry up

“Not anymore”

I get in the back seat with Adam while Hilde drives up front alone.

“That was some legacy” says Hilde “You nine?”

“No” he grits his teeth in pain “I’m not Garde, this legacy was a gift”

“A gift?” I say “From who?”

“It doesn’t matter, what matters is I need you to trust me”

“How can we trust you, you’re a Mog? Aren’t you? Did you steal those powers off another Garde that you captured, did you torture them for it?” asks Hilde angrily, she knows from her position in the driver’s seat she can’t do much if Adam reveals a sinister nature.

“How would I do that without killing myself?” he asks

“How do you know about the charm?” ask Hilde “Only us few that were there and the greeters know about that” realisation dawns on her face “You captured a greeter”

“No, but by now I think the Mogs have” He’s sweating, his eyes closed, his teeth grinding together.

“Then how?” she asks “How could it be possible that you know about that?”

“Because one of the Greeters, Malcolm Goode, is a dear friend”

“Impossible” says Hilde “Malcolm isn’t stupid enough to trust a Mog with that information"

“In around six years, he is”

The car tires burn as Hilde slams the brakes. We’re back at the house. “You…You’re from the future?”

“Thanks for catching on?” he says

“Why then? Why are you here? Who are you?” she asks

He looks at me and again, I can’t help but grin slightly “Everyone wants to know who I am today. I’m here because in the next few days, you both die”

 


	2. Chapter 2

His words ring in my ears “In the next few days, you both die”

“What?” I ask

“Go!” he shouts “Pack, hurry up, we don’t have time to waste. I promised I’d tell you everything and I will, but you need to hurry up. They’re coming”

I jump out of the car and race towards the house, Hilde and Adam on my heels.

“Pack only what you need, get the gems Hilde, you’ll need them. I know how to get you to Kuala Lumpur, I know someone who can help. He’s one of the Garde, he’ll only be a kid now. But first, before anything, we have to go to the airport”

“Why? Didn’t you say that there are scouts watching us?” I ask, looking up from ramming cloths into a duffel bag.

I smile spreads across his face, he’s not exactly bad looking, oh my god what am I doing? “Which is why we have to go, it’s one of my more brilliant ideas”

“If you betray us, I will rip you limb from limb” Hilde snarls

“And I don’t doubt you, but still I need you two to wait outside the airport though” He turns to look at me “I’m not putting you in any more danger than you have to be, so wait in the car with Hilde”

I don’t like being told what to do, told that I can’t handle myself. But if he’s right, then in the other version of history, I die soon. “Ok”

I think he can sense that I’m scared, my hands shake. He walks over to me and grabs my hands to stop them from shaking “One” he says tenderly “Look at me” I look at him “Everything is going to be fine, I have a plan, it’s going to work” I nod.

He realises that Hilde is watching us and pulls away. “Is there any chance you’ve got a healing stone in your chest?” he asks.

“Even if we do, why would we use it on you?” asks Hilde

“Because I’m your only chance at survival, and to do what I’m about to do I need my strength”

Hilde brings the chest to me, we open it. Hilde retrieves the healing stone from the chest and forces Adam into a chair. He grit his teeth together while Hilde forcefully applied the healing stone. We finish packing 5 minutes later, Adam seems to be getting very impatient. We load up the car.

“Where to?” Hilde asks

Adam is taken aback “I’m not sure, I couldn’t see the airports name that you went to. What is the closest one?”

Hilde nods and without replying she starts the car, this time I’m in the front with Hilde and Adam is seated in the back.

“We are being followed” he says 10 minutes into the trip. Hilde stares into the rear-view mirror “Three cars back, that SUV, that is our standard scouting car”

“Our?” Hilde asks

“My species” Adam replies “In the future we aren’t on good terms, considering I killed one of their generals and tried to save Two and Three”

“What do you mean ‘tried’? I ask, knowing the answer

“I couldn’t save them. I tried to save Three, I had to beat the shit out of my step-brother, face a squadron of Mogs for him to escape. He jumped across a ravine, the biggest jump I’ve ever seen anyone make, maybe that was one of his Legacies. But the general that I killed was on the other side. I watched him die, I was powerless” He looks up “You were so mad at me when I couldn’t save two” He stops himself, he knows he just divulged information that he shouldn’t have.

“What do you mean? If they got to Two and Three that means I was dead” I say, how could this be possible? How could I be mad at him if I was dead? Was I a ghost? “What, was I a ghost or something, pestering a Mog until he relented and submitted to my evil Loric ways”

He smiles “Something like that”

We arrive at the airport. Adam leans forward in his seat to speak to us “I’ll be back, if something happens to me, drive, go far away, bunker down and wait for things to cool down. Always be prepared for an attack, don’t go to Kuala Lumpur immediately, wait a while, they are always watching” With that warning he jumped out of the back seat and ran, not towards the airport but towards the SUV. He was fast, sprinting as hard as he could, maybe even faster than me. Straight for the car, an invisible force ripped open the windscreen. Two pale Mogs sat in the front seats looking somewhere between astonished and scared. Adam rips them out of their seats with telekinesis and drags them along the road towards him. He pulls out a knife and stabs one of the Mogs in the back before he has a chance to get up. The other Mog is dazed, trying to stand but his legs are shaking. The Mog swings blindly at Adam, Adam ducks and plunges the dagger upwards into the Mog’s jaw. It was done, just like that.

Adam walks back to the car casually and enters the back seat. “Well...now” he says, sounding out of breath “I need you to turn the radio off and not make a single sound”

He lifts a device he pulled off one of the Mogs to his mouth and presses a button. “This is scout team 34 reporting a sighting of the Garde”

“Scout 34 this is home base” comes the reply from the device “Where is the sighting?”

“The target was seen boarding a flight to Malaysia, flight 234, Malaysian Airlines”

“Is this confirmed?”

“Yes, target was seen exiting police station and was tailed to this location”

“You have done our Beloved Leader proud”

“Hail Setrάkus Ra”

The signal cuts and Adam crushes the device in his bare hands. “This ought to buy us time”

“How much?” asks Hilde

“However long it takes them to find the SUV I guess, or until they realise Scout 34 is not showing up for duty, minimum of a month”

I look at him “But…the SUV is right there, of course they’ll find it”

He grins again “No, they won’t. I’m going to disable the tracking chip and follow you, we head for Arizona, but I’ll dump the SUV somewhere along the way”

“That is actually not a bad idea” says Hilde

Adam places a hand over his heart as though Hilde’s words offended him “Hilde, I’m full of not bad ideas” I smile and the corner of Hilde’s lips form the faintest outline of a grin.

Adam leaves the car and heads towards the SUV.

A phone starts ringing in the centre console. Hilde looks at me, actually it’s more like glaring “What? It’s not mine”

“Don’t answer it” says Hilde and we let it ring out

About 10 seconds later Adam knocks on my window causing me to jump out of my seat and yelp.

Adam starts to laugh “Did you just yelp?”

“No” I say “shut up”

He puts his hands in the air as if to surrender but a smile still plays on his lips.

“Something wrong?” asks Hilde

He looks at her, as though he had forgotten why he came here “Oh, yeah. That phone, answer it, it’s me calling. I bought burner phones for us, one for me, one for you, number is programmed in” He walks away and the phone rings again. This time I answer and put it on speaker.

“This is the leader of the Space Invaders gang, we specialise in surf-by shootings, I believe you have one of our members” comes Adam’s voice, Hilde looks at me with her eyebrows raised and I utterly lose my shit, I laugh so hard I’m pretty sure I snort. It takes me a second to calm down. “That really was some improvising in the police station” he commends me

“Well, my middle name is improvise” I say

Hilde clears her throat and I can hear Adam sounding kind of awkward in the SUV “Right, sorry. We are headed to Arizona, a small border town near Mexico, it’s called Yuma. That’s where we’ll find four.”

“Four what?” I ask

Hilde stares at me and Adam is silent and then I get it, I shove my face in my free hand and say “Sorry, blonde moment”

Adam chuckles. “Well, Hilde, you follow me, or I follow you?” he asks

“You go first, we’ll follow” says Hilde

“I’m going to have to treat with four and Henri alone” says Adam

“What? Who is Henri? And no, we are coming with you” Hilde says firmly

Adam doesn’t back down “I’m sorry, but you can’t, if One and Four get too close the charm will break, and I can’t be sure that the other Garde don’t have a tail on them. I know Eight will soon be in India, Seven will be in Spain, Five is lost, Six is in Cleveland I think, but she’ll be on her way to California. Nine is soon to be imprisoned because of a girl. I’ll have to go to Chicago to sort that out later. Two is in England, three in Kenya and Ella is in Spain” he finishes

“Wait…who is Ella, why is Five lost?” I ask

“Five has defected, he has joined the Mogs and there is nothing we can do to bring him back”

“WHAT?” Hilde yells “We have to help him”

“We can’t, I’m here to keep you safe, and so in turn that keeps the others safe. You forget that you are one of the oldest of the children, the others won’t have a way to defend themselves if you join with Nine and go to get Five. We can’t risk it, I’ve changed a lot by coming here. All that’s left is for me to find the others, and you two to stay hidden”

“He has a point” I say, I don’t like the sound of agreeing with a Mog. But what if I were to team up with Nine and try and get Five back and one of the others got hurt because the charm was broken? It would be my fault, I couldn’t live with that burden

“Trust me, you don’t want Five on your side. Once you all have your legacies you can try and talk him out of it but until then, it won’t work”

“Oh yeah? How would you know?” I sneer, forgetting for a moment that he is from the future, maybe.

“Because when the Garde tried it last time, Five killed Eight and Nine only barely lived”

“A Garde killed another Garde” Hilde whispers to herself, shocked at the prospect.

“So, five is a traitor. Then who is Ella?” I ask

“Ella is number Ten”


	3. Chapter 3

“Number Ten” I scoff “Mog intelligence must not be that intelligent”

“There wasn’t a tenth child on the ship” says Hilde

“That’s right” says Adam “But she wasn’t on your ship, she’s the granddaughter of the tenth Loric Elder, the one who was evicted. Her father paid lots of money for her passage to Earth using an old fuel powered rocket that they had in the Museum”

“There is a tenth?” I ask, disbelieving every word that comes out of his mouth. How could I have thought he was funny not long ago, the thought sends shivers down my spine, gross.

“Yes, but she is not bound by the same charm as you are, so she’s not safe, but not technically in danger either”

“How can she not be in danger? She’s not protected by the charm” says Hilde

“Well” he sighs, as though he is tired of explaining every little detail. Sorry for dying in the future and not being alive to hear all of this, jerk. “The Loric who was cast out is Setrάkus Ra”

“WHAT?” Hilde proclaims

I have no idea what they are talking about, who is Setrάkus Ra?

“Um…who is Setrάkus Ra?” I ask, feeling as though I’m the only one that doesn’t know

“The man who destroyed your planet, the Beloved Leader of the Mogadorians” Adam says, I can hear the hate in his voice, the way he pronounces Ra’s name, as though it is a curse.

“The granddaughter of Ra is a Garde?” mumbles Hilde, trying to wrap her head around the prospect “She cannot be trusted”

“Who? Ella?” says Adam “Ella is just a little girl, she actually kind of stabbed him this one time in a military base. She is awesome, you guys would like her”

“As fun as this chat is” says Hilde “We should stop, less chance of them overhearing our conversation”

“Good point” says Adam and without another word he hangs up.

 

I’m trying to help but that pod in the corner, the only pod that is closed, it haunts me, mocking me from its corner. “You scared Adam” I jump, no one is here. I scan the room, nothing. Just me and the pod. I can almost hear One say “Scared of my dead body. Not like you haven’t seen it before” But I know it’s not One talking. It’s me, thinking.

I stand and slowly saunter over to the pod, wondering what I will face when it opens. Perhaps her skeleton, maybe whatever was keeping her looking like her was damaged the last time I was here? I’m standing right next to it. The button on the side will open it. One button, and I can see her again, oh, how I would love to see her again. But it wouldn’t really be her. She’d be pale, like me, she’d be cold. Nothing like the actual One.

I press the button and the pod door swings open. One’s body topples out, I catch her and lay her as gently as I can on the ground. She’s covered in what looks like a white sheet, but it’s not a sheet, it’s an article of clothing. Some of her blond hair covers her face. I tuck the loose strands behind her ear. Something I’ve wanted to do for a long time. She was beautiful, even in death you can see that. Without warning the tears flow, my best friend, my only friend, dead. I crawl so my back is up against the wall. I bring One with me and rest her head in my lap. I sit there for what feels like days. Not doing anything, just sitting with One’s head in my lap. She looks like she is smiling and suddenly I remember something “I wish your people hadn’t killed me” I laugh without meaning to. She was always so blunt, so sarcastic, so guarded. But then I remember the One after we had watched her death, she was not guarded then, she was weak and I could’ve taken advantage of that. But something in me held me back, perhaps it was her. Or her memories. A small gust of wind blows more hairs out of their place. I tuck them back behind her ear once more.

“I wish you could’ve seen this. Seen the Garde. Seen what I’ve done. Deep down you knew I could, when I doubted myself, you were always there. You were the best thing that ever happened to me”

Footsteps, as though someone is walking backwards away from the room. I look up to see John, backing out of the control room. A look of surprise on his face.

He sees me looking at him and starts “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to intru-“

I cut him off “Its fine John”

“Who is she?” John asks walking over to me. He sits down next to me, eyeing the dead girl.

“John, I’d like you to meet Number One, The One who Protected the Eight” I say

John swallows, his demeanour has gone from curious to defeated “You knew her” John says, it’s not a question, it’s a statement, he must have overheard me talking to her.

“Better than anyone, I think. Except for Hilde”

“How Adam? How could you possibly have known her?” John looks at her lifeless form and his shoulders slump. When I don’t respond he says “For what it’s worth, she’d be proud of what you’ve done” John stands, brushing off his jeans and begins to walk towards the exit.

“The first time I saw her” I say. John stops and spins around “Was the night she died”

John looks confused, I gesture at the floor for him to join me. He does, sitting in the same spot he recently vacated.

“My father took me there, to Malaysia, to watch. I thought I was getting a glimpse of noble Mogadorian victory. There was nothing at all noble about watching two dozen armed Mogadorians charging at an unarmed teenage girl” John was looking at Six, I guess he was trying to picture what her final moments would have been “Even less nobler, was the way she died. She was overextending herself, becoming drained, using her Legacy too much. She didn’t notice one of them slip behind her and plunge a sword into her back” A single tear leaks out of John’s eye, he brushes it away.

“That doesn’t explain-“ he starts

I cut him off once more “We brought her body here, and using the chair that Nine threw, the doctor here was able to plug One’s and my mind together. So I could view her memories, try and find the other Garde. I did to, in the beginning, I found memories that would help the cause, until One found me. I don’t know what she was, maybe a ghost in her own memories. But I was in her head, and she was in control. The first words she said to me were “Who the fuck are you?” John smiles “She showed me her life, not important things, random things, her boyfriend, her surfing, her training. And I grew attached, she was just a girl, and my people slaughtered her, and they felt proud of it. I was never more disgusted with my people then when she showed me her memory of her death. She fought bravely, killing Mogs left and right, but there were too many, and she had been skipping training to hang around with boys. When I watched her die the ghost of One watched too. I could feel her losing control, and suddenly, I was in control. I could go wherever I wanted. I went to a memory of her, at the beach surfing. I just sat on the sand, watching her ride the waves, come out of the water and then I’d rewind and repeat the memory. Eventually she showed up, the ghost and told me I had to wake up. So I did, it had been three years. And my father had found number Two. But when I woke One was still with me, the ghost One. Only I could see her and hear her. She talked to me all the time, I never went a day without seeing her. She convinced me to save Two, I tried but I failed. We went to save Three and I was close, so close, but I was too late. As a result of openly defying Mogadorian progress my step brother threw me down a ravine. I would have died if not for One. She urged me on. I’d never heard her speak of me like that. She told I needed to get up. And I did, I crawled out” I pause

“So that’s it?” John asks “Did One just disappear?”

“No” I reply “She started to fade, whatever connection we had, was fading. I couldn’t lose her, I’d spent 3 years in her memories and 2 years with her in my head. I came back here, that’s what One told me to do. And when she plugged me back in to the machine I was taken back into her memories. And she was there, and I could touch her. We sat on that same beach. It was all a trick. One needed me to come back so I could help the Garde. She said ‘This was never about saving me’. She told me that all I ever needed was myself, I had the courage and the strength to defy my people. She told me that I was no longer powerless and that’s when she gave me her Legacy, I don’t know how, but she did. And then I confessed, I told her that I loved her” I didn’t realise that I had started crying, but I had “And she told me that if she had lived, that I would’ve loved her. And then she left me, forever”

I sit, stoking One’s cheeks while the tears fall freely. John puts his hand on my shoulder and squeezes.

“If she could see what you have become. I’m certain she would have loved you too” John stands and walks out of the room, leaving me alone with One.

 

 

 


	4. Chapter 4

The highway seems never ending. We drive for hours. Adam tails us closely in the Mog S.U.V. I get extremely bored and decide to ring Adam. I have questions that I want answered

“What is this future world like?” I ask

“The future” he replies, lost in thought “Not great” he finishes

“Wow” I say “That was some description” I’m starting to get sick of his extremely vague answers.

“Ask me a specific question and I’ll answer it” he says

“How do I die?” I ask, wanting to know, but also not wanting to know.

“A sword through the back” He answers, his voice sounds sullen and distant.

I take a minute to process this “In Malaysia? That’s what you said”

“Yes”

“And where were you when I died?”

“I watched” he sounds ashamed of himself

“What do you mean you watched? You let them kill me?” I ask, turning in my seat to stare at him. It’s fairly easy to see him considering there is no windshield on his car.

“It’s complicated” he says. And it’s pretty clear he doesn’t want to talk about it.

“And” starts Hilde surprisingly “Where am I?”

“Dead. Shot through the chest with a blaster” He says, still looking ashamed

“Did you kill me?” asks Hilde

“No”

I sit properly in my seat, not wanting to look at him anymore. Neither of us hang up. The line just stays open.

After around 20 minutes the boredom sets in again, and I still have more questions.

“How did you get here?” I ask

“I made a wish, and it came true” he says

“Care to elaborate?” I say, I’m really getting sick of these damn riddles.

“The Sanctuary” he says

Hilde gasps “How did you get into the Sanctuary? That is a sacred place”

“With your help, One”

“Enough of these fucking riddles” I’m seriously getting annoyed

He ignores me “I met Lorien”

“You did?” asks Hilde “What was it like?” a look of wonder and awe on her face

“Confusing. It was just a blue…thing. It called it’s self an entity. It didn’t say it was alive it just said it…is” He says, emphasising the word ‘is’

“And what it just knew you needed to save me?” I sneer. This story is getting more unbelievable as it goes on.

“Actually no” he says “First I asked to see you. I wanted to talk to you. And the being…Lorien said I could. He didn’t bring you back to life. I guess he summoned you from wherever you go when you die. But you appeared, made completely out of Loralite”

“Then what?” I say, turning in my seat once again

“We talked, I apologised” He says

“Is that it?” I ask

“It’s personal” he says

“No shit. I was the one you were talking to, it could be personal to me”

“It’s not personal to this version of you. But the other you, the One I knew, my best friend” I can tell he is struggling. He doesn’t want to finish this story. “You told me you wouldn’t have had it any other way, that your death was worth that 5 years”

“Adam, seriously dude” I’m getting angry “If you don’t start making sense real soon”

“I loved you” he cuts me off “And at the Sanctuary you told me that you had loved me too”

I’m shocked, of course this is complete bullshit. He could very well be lying. “So…” says Hilde awkwardly “That’s why you came back”

“No. That is not why I came back” he says firmly “The One I knew is dead. The One I loved no longer exists.” His voice sounds harsh “But I think that’s why Lorien chose me, he could have chosen Six, or Seven. But he chose me to come back. Because I knew the consequences if I failed, better than the others. He gave me my own Legacies. The Legacy where I can create seismic activity is yours. You gave it to me”

“Impossible” I say

“I don’t know how you did it, but you did. And Lorien gave me the rest, gave me telekinesis, and maybe it gave me other Legacies as well. I’m not sure, I guess I’ll have to wait and see. No more questions, please. I promised I’d explain everything you need to know, but there are things you don’t need to know”

“Wait” I say. I can see him roll his eyes “If the only reason past you defected was because of me. What will happen to past you?”

“I don’t know. But I’m too smart to be left in Mog hands” It’s not praise, more like scorn “I’ll either have to kidnap, or kill my past self” He doesn’t flinch, no sign of remorse, nothing. He’s talking about killing himself, he sounds cold.

“How can you be so cold?”

“You would understand if you knew me” he says “I was all about Mogadorian Progress. And without seeing you die, I will continue to be. That’s where I’m headed after we sort out your business with Kuala Lumpur.”

“You’re not coming with us?” I ask. I don’t want to admit that I’m kind of scared of going alone, without Adam. I don’t have my Legacies yet, and he seems powerful enough.

It’s like he knows what I’m thinking “All you ever need is you” he says to me “The courage to defy an entire species. That is all you” His words provide me a small amount of comfort, but he is the enemy.

“Where’d you get that from? Some Mogadorian book?” I sneer

He smiles “No actually, those were some of your last words to me” He hangs up. The rest of the trip is spent in silence.

We arrive at the small town, Yuma. We book a small room in a motel. Adam also has brought his own duffel. Although I have no idea where he got it, or where he put it in the car.

We enter the room. Immediately to the left is a small kitchen. Just passed the kitchen is what appears to be the small bathroom. A double bed sits with its head against the far wall. “I’ve got the floor, I guess” he says when we walk in. We all dump our bags, no one argues against Adam’s proposition. “Before you unpack I need photos first”

“Why?” Asks Hilde

“I’m assuming that your other fake passports have been compromised. You’ll need new ones”

Adam pulls a camera from his duffel bag. Hilde walks over to the white wall and stares at the camera without smiling. Adam takes the picture. After Hilde is finished I walk over to that spot, the flash of the camera nearly blinds me.

Adam drops the camera onto the floor and starts unpacking his things. He reaches in his bag and pulls out a handgun and a large dagger. He stands and gives them both to Hilde. Without a word she takes them and he returns to his bag. He pulls out another dagger and for a second I think he’ll give it to me.

He looks at me “In the other version you skipped training, which is the main reason you died. I’ll be gone for a bit. I don’t know how long. I’ll call if I’m in trouble. If I don’t come back within 24 hours. Leave. But don’t forget One, train like it’s your last day on this planet, because it very well could be”

“Good luck” says Hilde

“I won’t need it” he says with that smug smile he always wears before leaving the room, all he took was the dagger and the chip with our photos from the camera.

As soon as he leaves Hilde walks over to his duffel bag and starts rummaging through his things. There is nothing special. Just a bunch of clothes and a small yellow stone.

Hilde eyes it with a look of awe “A Xitharis stone” she proclaims

“A what?” I ask

“It’s a stone that allows a Garde to transfer Legacies. I’m not sure if he’s charged it”

“What do you mean?”

“If you had a Legacy, well you will soon and Adam says it’s something to do with seismic shock. Then you could put that Legacy into the stone. And give the stone to another Garde and they could wield that Legacy, for an hour or so”

“Is that where he got my Legacy from? The stone? Maybe I’m still alive in the future, maybe this is all a trick”

“That’s unlikely” she says

“Why? Why is me being alive unlikely?”

“Because that would explain him having your Legacy, it wouldn’t explain his telekinesis. Nor would it explain the way he looks at you”

I’m confused, what way does he looks at me? I decide to keep my mouth shut, not wanting to know the answer. How could future me have loved him?­ A Mogadorian. His kind tried to slaughter my entire race. The other me must have been really fucked up.

 

The Sanctuary is completely blue. Loralite everywhere. Six and Seven talk to the being that uses Eight’s body as a vessel.

The entity is about to leave, now is my only chance.

“Wait” I say

The being halts “Yes Adamus?”

“Is…” I stop, well aware of Seven and Six’s eyes on me, they’ll think I’m weak. But I need to know “Is One there? Can I speak with her?”

The entity stays silent. Blue Loralite starts to rise out of the well, forming a figure. In a few seconds it has taken the shape of a girl, it’s One. She stands there watching me. “So” she says

“So” I say, I’m at a loss for words, she’s really here

“You found me?” she asks

I ignore here question “Do you know who I am?” I ask. I’m not sure if the memories from our time together would stay with her, considering she died before they happened.

“Of course I know who you are Adam” she says

My heart rises, she remembers. “I miss you” I say “Every single day. It’s like a part of me is missing without you. I’m sorry One” I can still feel Six and Seven’s eyes on me but I don’t care.

“And I miss you too. Don’t blame yourself, my death was worth those 5 years that we spent together. I wish you could see it here Adam, it’s beautiful. I spend most of my time on our beach. Do you remember the beach?”

“I’ll never forget it” I say “I wish you could have seen me. I’ve done all the things you told me I could do, I even managed to save a Garde”

“I bet your pops wasn’t happy about that” she says

“No, that’s why I killed him”

“That took guts Adam, I told you that you had that courage within you” she says

“Maybe one day, after all of this is over. I’ll join you” I say

“Maybe” she says “I don’t think Mogs are on the guest list here though”

I laugh “No, I suppose not. But I’ll find a way, I will see you again. And we can go back to that beach”

“I’d like that” she says “I can’t stay longer Adam, this realm is not meant for me anymore”

“I understand”

“Good-“ she starts

“Don’t say goodbye, not again. Because this isn’t goodbye, I’ll see you again, I’ll find you, one way or the other. This is just…until next time” I say

She laughs “You were always the dreamer. For what it’s worth I hope you do find me. Until next time Adamus” she pauses, looking as if she wants to say something “I never said this on the beach, but, I love you too” and then she’s gone.

Six and Seven still stare at me. I turn to the entity “Is there any way I can see her again?” I ask, knowing the answer is probably no.

“If you die. I would welcome you into this place, you would see her again. But there is another way. Something that I have only recently been able to master”

“What is it? Anything, I’ll do it” I say

“Time travel Adamus, time travel. You can save the world. But beware, if you accept, it has never been done before, you could die from the process”

I look at where the Loralite One had been. “For her, I’d risk it”

“I expected as much”

I turn to Six and Seven. “I guess I’ll see you around” I say

Six hugs me, wiping tears from her eyes. She gives me a dagger. “Use it well, save us Adam. Save us”

“What will happen to us?” asks Marina

The entity seems lost in thought for a second “You will still be you, but you will have no memory of these events, of this timeline. If Adamus changes enough events, this timeline will cease to exist”

We are all silent. Six nods at me. “I’m ready” I say.

“Step forwards Adamus. Come closer”

I do. The blue Loralite reaches out and wraps around my wrist. Then the world goes black.

 


	5. Chapter 5

The drive to Four’s hideout is taking a while. I booked a motel out of town, to keep the distance between them, preserve the charm. I feel hopeful, for the first time in my life I have real power. I have the power to change lives, to save them.

Eventually I make it to the hideout. I don’t know how I know it’s here, it’s more of a Sixth Sense. Maybe Lorien gave me a way to sense the Garde, to find them. I find myself in a rural area. The last sign of civilisation was around 10 minutes ago. I guess Henri and John prefer solitude. As I approach the small cottage I hear voices mumbling inside, someone is having a conversation. I knock on the door. The voices immediately halt. I need to do something to get Henri to gain my trust. I levitate some grass clippings from the front yard and hover them in front of my face. Henri slowly opens the door. He sees the clippings floating and he swings the door open. Letting out a sigh of relief.

“Thought you were a shit Mog” he says with a French accent

“What?” I ask, utterly perplexed

“He means” comes a small voice “He thought you were a damn Mog”

“Oh”

“He never has gotten human swearing” says nine year old John. His hair was as blonde as it will ever be. He looks a little different, his features not defined by puberty yet. If Loric people even go through puberty.

“What do you want?” Henri asks “What number are you? Has something happened?”

“No time to explain everything Henri, in time I will. But first I have a huge favour to ask” I say, not looking away from Henri’s eyes.

He nods “Come on in” I pass him and he studies the street, as though he’s checking if anyone saw me come in. Apparently he’s satisfied because he shuts the door a second later. He turns to me “What’s this favour?”

“I need two passports. A passport for One and her keeper” I say. Immediately after I said it I knew I shouldn’t have

“Why didn’t One come here herself?” he asks suspiciously, eyes narrowed.

“Because…” I start, I can’t tell him that I’m a Mog, and if I tell him that her coming here would have broken the charm, he’d realise I’m not a Garde. “Because she’s injured” I say

“We have a healing stone” says Henri “In the Chest”

“No, she has one as well, she’ll be fine. We’re just in a bit of a hurry”

Henri nods. “Two passports” he says “Got pictures?”

I breath a huge sigh of relief “Yeah, they’re just-“ Henri’s hand is at my throat, gripping it with surprising strength.

“I know what you are” he snarls

I grab his hand, not too hard. Lorien gave me the Garde’s increased strength. I set his hand aside.

“Please” I say “I’m not here to hurt you. I’ve been sent from the future” Henri is a little taken aback

“That’s got to be the shittiest excuse I’ve heard” Henri looks at Four

“Yeah, shittiest works in that context” says Four

Henri smiles. “Please Henri. How else would I know you’re Henri? How else would I know he’s Four?” How else would I know that in five years you go looking for Malcolm Goode?”

“Malcolm?” Henri says, confused

“Yes” I say “Malcolm is missing. I’m sure you’ve seen it. And I know where he is. I can free him. Just two passports. Please”

Henri relaxes “Two passports, give me 3 hours. Once they’re done you leave, and I never see you again”

“I can’t promise that” I say “I will see you again, it’s my job to unite the Garde when they’re ready, and to protect them when they’re not” I drop a burner phone I bought on the kitchen table. “My number is programmed in. When the time comes I’ll ring you. If you’re in trouble, ring me. It’s an easy way for us to keep tabs”

Henri nods slowly. “What am I like in this future of yours?”

“Dead. Which is why I need you to stay off the radar. That means Four doesn’t go to Paradise, Ohio. Neither of you do. That’ll just…complicate things”

“I die” he says, it’s not a question.

“But you save Four. He lives on, you did your job Henri. He grows to be a great man, I can attest to that”

Henri is silent. “Three hours” he says and walks off.

Four is standing there, watching me. “Does Henri really die?” he asks. I can see tears welling in his eyes

“Hey” I say soothingly “Not anymore, I’ve changed that. You and Henri are gonna be fine. You are going to be one of the most powerful Garde that has ever lived. After all you’re one of the nine. You and the others will grow up to be some of the most powerful beings in the universe. You have no idea what you’re capable of”

“So Henri won’t die?”

“I don’t know” I say honestly “The only thing I know for sure, is that he won’t die the same way he did in my timeline, in my past. I’ll do everything I can to protect him”

“Promise?”

“I promise”

Three hours later and Henri emerges holding out two passports.

“I can’t thank you enough” I say. Four has long since gone to sleep. It’s around 10pm.

“Just, be careful” says Henri “If what you say is true, we’ve got a lot riding on this. Don’t screw it up”

“I’ll try” I say, well aware that if I fail, then everyone I knew and loved will die.

Henri extends his hand. I shake it “Good luck” he says

“I won’t need it” I return, smiling.

The drive back seems to take even longer. It takes me roughly around an hour. Before I had left we had come up with a challenge. I would knock on the door three times. Hilde or One would reply “Who am I?” and I would say “the One that protects the Eight”.

It feels good to be doing this. To be helping people again. One always said I could be great. I drive the thought out of my mind. The One I loved is dead. This One looks the same and acts the same but she’s different. Somewhere deep down I know it, but I don’t want to believe it.

I knock three times on the motel door. “Who am I?” says One

“The One that protects the Eight” I return

“Wrong” she says “Guess again”

“Seriously One. It’s fucking freezing out here. Let me in” I try to sound tough, but that’s hard to do when you’re slowly turning into a Popsicle.

“Fine” she opens the door “You take everything so seriously dude. You need to lighten up”

I walk inside “Thankyou” I say. But it comes out as sarcasm.

I walk over to my bag, it’s fairly clear that someone has been through it. I start to shove my belongings into the bag. I need to get moving at first light.

“What are you doing?” asks One. She’s standing in the kitchen, holding a glass of water.

“I’m afraid we must part ways” I say

“What?” she says, a little too loudly. She grimaces and peers at Hilde, making sure she didn’t wake her

“I have business in Maryland that I need to attend to” I say, still throwing things haphazardly into my duffel

“You can’t leave” she says.

I spent three years in her memories, and she spent two years in my head. I can usually tell exactly what she’s thinking. “Hey” I say “Look at me” her eyes rise “You will be fine. I got you these” I gesture at the new passports. I grab her shoulders and she doesn’t flinch “You will be fine. If I thought it wasn’t safe I wouldn’t let you go, I’m not losing you again”

She nods. “I know I just, I have a feeling, like something bad is going to happen”

“I would never let anyone hurt you” I say. I return to my bag. “I think it’s best if you guys leave town, head east, preserve the charm. Right now they have everything focussed on Malaysia, but soon they’ll realise that you weren’t on the plane. They’ll get suspicious. They’ll eventually find the car. In a week or less they’ll come back. That is when you should go. I will call in six days to tell you if the coast is clear. If I don’t call. Don’t go to Malaysia, run, and keep running”

“I agree” says Hilde. I didn’t even realise she was awake

“I’ll create a distraction in Maryland, which should bring the Mogs out of Malaysia sooner” I say

“What kind of distraction?” asks Hilde

I smile “Most of their high ranking officers and trained troops are headed to Malaysia. I’m going to go to a small settlement and kill everyone inside”

“What settlement?” asks One

“It’s a suburb called Ashwood Estates”

 

“They ruined it” I seethe “They will pay for their insubordination” The ship ascends.

It docks and I step out, still pulling Ella by her hair. I throw her at the feet of my troops that I have gathered in the hangar. “Put her in a cell. Chart a course for the Sanctuary”

The ship immediately lurches forward, slowly at first. As soon as it has maximum power potential we speed towards the Sanctuary. We are there in less than a minute.

I jump down. Focussing my telekinesis to dampen my fall with my right hand and holding The Eye of Thaloc in the other. I land in mud with a soft thud. I’m still fuming. Four and Nine, it was a petty attempt. They will pay. It is evident that a small battle has taken place here. Ashes scatter across the ground. Singed earth and what appears to be hail litter everything in sight. The Garde are here.

I walk through the shield and up the side of the pyramid. It doesn’t take me long. I place the stolen pendants onto the device. It glows and a door opens. Inside I see Six and Seven, and momentarily the young Mog boy. He disappears as I cross the threshold. Six whirls around. Too late. I slam her against the wall with my telekinesis. She’s not dead, but she will be soon. I can almost feel her bleeding out. Seven tries to get to Six. Five told me about her ability to heal. I stop her, reaching out with my mind.

“Five was a good soldier” I say “Disciplined, willing to do whatever was necessary for the cause…And you broke him. For that, Seven, I will break you” I reach out with my telekinesis and snap her neck. She falls limp to the floor.

I see it. The well. Lorien. “You have evaded me for so long. And here we are” I say

“Here we are” echoes a voice from the well

“Where did you send the Mog boy? The defector” Silence. Anger bursts from me. I hold The Eye of Thaloc against the well’s brim. Slowly the Loralite recedes

“What are you doing?” asks the entity, it seems panicked, good.

“You will answer” I say

“To…the…past” It replies, fighting against itself, trying not to say the words but failing.

“You what? Do you have any idea what you have done?”

“Saved this planet”

“No, you have doomed it. Send me back aswell”

“No” it says, fighting the Eye of Thaloc “I will not”

“Send me back” I demand

It laughs. I had never realised an entity had a sense of humour. “What?” I seethe

“It’s too late” It struggles to say. I can’t see where the voice is coming from, somewhere deep within the well. Deep within this planet

“Send me back” I snarl.

Blue tendrils climb over the well wall and snake their way up the cane. They wrap around my hand and the world goes black. Yes.

 

 


	6. Chapter 6

The sun rises attentively on the horizon. I am already up. I stand with the front door open, watching the sun, drinking in its heat. The battle between light and darkness now tips in the suns favour, and for a while we will bask in its light. One and Hilde still lie on their double bed. Sleeping as soundlessly as ever. I don’t want to leave like this. No goodbyes. But they know it’s easier this way. No attempts at messy farewells. I close the door and lock it, I slide the key under the door. Late last night I had written a note.

_‘One and Hilde,_

_I’m sorry for leaving like this. But it is easier this way. I’ll call you every so often. Just to check in, make sure you’re safe. I doubt we’ll see each other for a while. I’ll track down the Garde and give them each a burner phone, and when the time comes I’ll let them know. If you think the Mogs are onto our phones then I’ll send you an encrypted email with my new number. If I do not contact you for a month then I will need you to make your way to Paradise, Ohio. Find the Goode’s house. In the back there is a well. Rearrange the sun dial on the top to 1-4-1-9-9-5. That’ll get you in. I probably should warn you, Pittacus is in there, he’s dead though. It’s just his skeleton. There’ll be tons of stuff in there that could be useful. But be careful, the Mogs may be watching the house. Remember, don’t break the charm yet, five years minimum before joining the others. Be careful._

_Adamus’_

The letter didn’t seem like much but it was something. I have to make sure there is a contingency plan. I start the engine and drive the SUV out. The airport isn’t that far. I don’t drive directly into the airport. I find an abandoned building. I drive the car around to the back of the building. No one from the road will see it, they’ll have to walk back here to find it. I light the car on fire and let it burn. Yuma is a small town, I doubt anyone can see the smoke. Once the fire has burnt enough I create a small earthquake, the energy is enough to extinguish the fire. I walk out towards the airport. Once there I board a flight to Maryland. One way or another, I’ll end that base.

The flight takes roughly 6 hours. When I land I’m exhausted. But I know I can’t rest, the Mogs will be back within the week. I need to strike now. I hail a taxi and give him the address. We drive for a while, I lose track of time. Eventually it comes into view. Ashwood Estates, the place where I grew up. As much of a shithole now as it is in the future. I can see two Mogs in the gate house at the front.

“Pull over” I say, handing the driver a $100 bill “Keep the change”

I exit the cab and walk slowly towards the gatehouse. The last time I came here the Mogs were on edge, these guys are relaxed.

“Excuse me” I call, still walking towards the gatehouse “I think I’m lost”

One of the vat-born whispers something to the other. One of them talks into a device like the one I stole of the dead Mog at the airport. I think I’ve been made.

A Trueborn walks out of the nearest house. I’ve definitely been made.

I prepare to kill these three. Suddenly the trueborn speaks “Sorry friend. The guards here are…foreign, they do not speak English”

“Ah” I say

He steps into the gatehouse and peers out at me “What are you doing here?” he asks politely

“I seem to be lost, if you could just point me in the right direction” I say

“Certainly” he says cheerfully

He walks out of the gatehouse and towards me. “Where do you wish to go?”

“I want to go inside” I whisper “And kill every single one of you” His eyes open in alarm. Too late. I stab him with the dagger I concealed in the back of my jeans. He falls but does not turn to ash. The two Mogs in the gatehouse stare at me. I pull them out of the small building, careful to block their screams using my telekinesis to keep their mouths shut. I drag them in the dirt until they rest before me. I slit ones throat while he tries to stand, the other aims at me and I knock his gun away with my mind. I close the distance between us and plunge the dagger into his heart. He turns to ash. No one has seen. Good, so far everything is running smoothly.

I walk towards my old house. I leave the trueborn out the front, as long as I can get into the tunnels, this place is rubble. I knock on the door to my old home. My mother answers.

She looks at me, studying me “Do I know you?” she asks “You look familiar”

“Yes” I say, and then I force the knife into her stomach. She tries to scream, I cover her mouth with my hand, pull out the dagger, and plunge it into her again. I repeat this until her body falls limp.

I drop her. I expected that would be hard to do. But it wasn’t, not really. My younger sister walks out of the kitchen and sees me. She tries to scream but I crush her against the wall with my telekinesis. I yank her head back and slit her throat. I’m fairly confident that no one is in the house. Young me, Ivan and my father are probably still in Malaysia. The door is where it has always been. I open it. I head into the control room. Scientist scurry everywhere. Not one takes two looks at me. When I try and enter the control room I see Dr Anu.

“That is a restricted area boy” he says

“Oh” I say walking up to him “I’m sorry, I’m new here” I put my hand out for him to shake. When he grabs it I yank him towards me and stab him in the neck. I drop him to the ground, he can’t scream. I take his security badge that allows him complete access. I enter the control room, it is empty. I log on as Dr Anu and wipe the system clean. No trace of what happened here. I open the pods. Malcolm is the only one alive. I had hoped that one of the other Greeters would survive. Now the Mogs will have no way of recovering the information I have just erased. I rush over to Malcolm.

“Get up Malcolm, hurry” I say

He shakes his head and vomits “Where am I? Who am I?”

I pick him up, he’s light with my newfound Loric strength “No time”

I set him on a seat while I use the computers in this room to send out a worldwide virus, shutting down Mog operations. It will erase all data they have gathered while on this planet and set them back months, maybe even years. I set the reactors that generate power to maximum. I figure I have around five minutes before they go critical and this small suburb goes up in a mushroom cloud.

I pick Malcolm up using telekinesis. We travel through the halls back towards my old house. No alarms sound. They are unaware of any danger. We make it to the door. I disable the tracking device in my family’s car and set Malcolm in the back seat. I back it out of the drive way and drive straight through the boom gate. That sets off an alarm. Too late. There is a grumbling sound and the streets erupt in green lava. Splattering the houses. Not quite the explosion I expected but it will do the trick. The lava shoots high into the air and falls, melting through roofs and into houses. I realise it may actually not be enough. I stop the car and walk back towards the estate, telekinetically shielding myself from the lava. I walk and stand at the driveway of my old house. I stomp my foot and the driveway cracks. The ground trembles and holes start to open in the road. Houses fall in and crush the scientist working in the tunnels underneath. That, combined with the lava shooting everywhere, I think it may be enough. I run back to the car, wanting to quickly get out of here before any Mog force can show up. I get in and drive. My next stop is Paradise, Ohio.

Malcolm stirs in the backseat. He lifts his head groggily “Where am I?” he asks again

“You’re safe now” I say

“Are you a Garde?”

“Nope, I’m the Mogadorian defector that just saved your life”

Malcolm nods slowly, taking it all in. “Well then, I’m-“

“Malcolm. I know, we’ve met. Actually, we meet would be more accurate”

“What do you mean?” He clutches the bridge of his nose like he has a bad hangover, or headache.

“It means, I have come from the future to save this planet” I say “My name is Adam by the way”

“Nice to meet you Adam. Where are we headed?”

“Back to your house. I need to borrow your tablet. I have to locate the Garde and quickly. Right now time is of the essence Malcolm. A lot of lives depend on me, on us” I give him a hard stare

“Yes, yes, of course. You just have to arrange the sun dial to-“

“1-4-1-9-9-5. I know, Sam’s birthday”

Malcolm stares at me “If you know everything why did you save me”

I’m actually not sure, maybe it was to stop him from divulging too much information. “Because Malcolm. In the future you are my closest friend. Plus, I need some company on the road” I look at him

“You want to take me along. I can’t, I have a family”

“A family that is being monitored by the Mogs, if you show up, you’ll just put them in danger”

Malcolm knows what I’m saying is true but I don’t think he wants to believe it.

“Malcolm, I know you want to go back and stay there. But I’ll only be there for a few minutes, I’m getting the tablet and leaving. If you want to come you can. If you want to stay you can, but it will put your family and you in danger”

“I guess I could use those frequent flyer points” he jokes

“That’s the spirit. This will be just like the old days, well, in around 6 years, we’d be doing this. How do I pronounce it then? This is like the future days?” I look at Malcolm

He shrugs “To be honest I kind of have no idea what’s going on, my head feels like it will explode”

“That’ll pass Malcolm. In the meantime get some rest. We got a whole lot of work ahead of us”

Malcolm lies back down, stretched across the three back seats of my family’s sedan.


	7. Chapter 7

The drive to Paradise isn’t exactly pleasant. Malcolm is still passed out after 6 hours of driving. We are getting close. Other than the occasional grunt from Malcolm I’ve spent the trip in silence. For the first time in a long time I feel as though I’m needed, not just some distraction. I can contribute, in fact, the fate of the Nine rest in my hands. The trip back in time had taken a toll on me, it had mentally drained me. Maybe it wasn’t the trip, maybe it was the power that Lorien gave me. When I had appeared I thought something had gone wrong. Because I had appeared in the middle of that beach in California. The beach where One and I parted. I thought for sure I was trapped in memory. But no. This was different. Something of Lorien still lingered inside me. It talked to me for a while, explaining what it deemed relevant for me to know. One phrase left an impression.

“Time is a fragile thing Adamus. The tragedy you look to alter. Time will find a way to replace it. Where there ‘was’ death, there will always ‘be’ death”

I knew exactly what it meant. The scales had to be balanced, and by saving One’s life, I have doomed another. This thought weighs on me. Was this really worth it?

I have One back. But she’s not the same, not the One I loved. And now someone else has taken her place in the afterlife. Maybe it will be one of the Garde, maybe Four will die to balance the scales. I can only hope that I change enough to alter the future, but not enough to cause too much pain and hardship. Malcolm stirs. He does this sometimes, grumbling about giant men at his door. About the Sanctuary, about his son.

We arrive in Paradise an hour later. A part of me feels bad. I have rid John of the opportunity of knowing and potentially loving Sarah. Now in this timeline they will most likely never meet. John will never form a bond with Sam. Sam will never meet Six. I haven’t just saved the lives of those who died, I’ve taken from those who lived. I shake Malcolm by the shoulders. He wakes.

“What? Where are we?” he asks groggily

“Paradise. Malcolm. I need you to stay here” I say

“No, I need to see my family. I need to see my son.” He says, trying to sit up. He sways and then slumps back into the chair.

“Malcolm if they see you, they’ll report it to the police. I have erased all of their electronic records. They still know who you are. They’ll still be monitoring police databases. They’ll know you were here, and they’ll come looking for us. Right now, we need to lay as low as we can. Once I can form the Garde. Then is the time. Then you can return to your family. But until that day, they will not be safe with you around”

Malcolm nods “You’re right” he concedes “But that doesn’t mean I like it”

“I’m sorry Malcolm, I truly am” I say, putting a hand reassuringly onto his shoulder. “I’ll be back soon. I know what I need. They’ll never know we were here”

It doesn’t take long for me to make my way towards the house. Only a few of the lights are on. It’s around 8pm. I sneak as silently as I can over to the well. I arrange the sun dial to 141995. I enter the well. It is dimly lit. The skeleton of Pittacus still lies inside. I grab the tablet. And just for good measure, I grab Pittacus’ pendant from around his neck. I’m not sure why, but I think that it might come in handy.

I exit the well. As I make my way across the backyard I hear a small rustling sound behind me, coming from the direction of the well. I turn. There is a man there. He looks extremely out of place.

He slowly walks over to me. At this time of night I can’t really distinguish his features. I’m ready for a fight if need be.

“I have been waiting for you. I believe you have something I need” he says

His face is illuminated by moonlight. It’s Setrάkus Ra. Not in his usual form, but the human form he took when trying to win over the world.

“What do you mean?” I ask

“I knew you would come here” he says “After all, I’m from the future as well Adamus”

“You know my name? You’re from the future? Impossible”

“Oh. It is quite possible. You see. I arrived in the chamber just as you were transported back. The two Garde were caught by surprise, they died quickly, well, one of them did”

Anger flares in my heart. I will rip him limb from limb.

“How did you get Lorien to send you back?” I ask, barely able to control my voice

“The Eye of Thaloc. A very powerful weapon of my own creation. You know it can force people to speak the truth. People, and apparently, ancient entities. I ‘persuaded’ Lorien to send me back. But it had just enough control to meddle. Trapping me in this human form. With only my Dreynan and the Eye for protection. It stripped me of everything else. All of my power, gone. But my mind remains intact”

I can feel the ground start to tremble a small amount. I steady my breathing in an effort to control it. Clearly he is too far away for his Dreynan to work. John said that his Dreynan was basically a constant small area around him. He’s too far away for that to matter.

“You filthy defector. You’ve gone soft. Thinking you can save these humans and the pathetic Garde. I AM THE ALMIGHTY RA!! The most powerful being in the known universe. As the most powerful being I can restore you to your place within Mogadorian society. You can see your family again Adamus.”

“No. And you’re not what I’d call the most powerful being” I say, trying to sound confident but instead sounding really, really pissed.

“Have I hit a nerve in our conversation? Was it my killing Six and Seven? Were they friends of yours? Would you like me to replay their last moments?” He smiles a winning smile “I’m sure you’re used to seeing Garde die by now”

My mind rings with a high pitch sound I can’t control. It’s getting out of hand. My head is screaming, it feels like it’s going to explode. Setrάkus Ra looks at me with confusion, he shakes his head, as if there is a fly he’d like to shake loose. My head. It hurts. Pictures, places I’ve never been, things I’ve never done. It hurts.

I scream. Setrάkus Ra puts his hands over his ears immediately. It’s not a normal scream. It’s normal in pitch, but it seems to be magnified. I can almost see the sound waves emanating from my mouth. Ra’s ear bleed. I can see it spill from between his fingers. His hands desperately cover his ears in an attempt to block out the noise. Suddenly I feel dizzy. Too much. I used it too much. A new Legacy. I look over at the Goode house. Everything is eerily silent. It seems perfectly intact. Maybe my Legacy only effects a small range. I had expected shattered windows and screaming coming from inside the house. But no. The only thing that is affected is Ra. He is lying on the ground panting. His ears still bleed. Blood oozes out. I should kill him now. While I have the chance. I begin to walk over. Ra stands.

“Another day then Adamus?” He draws a miniature cane from his jacket pocket. “Another one of Lorien’s attempts to intervene. By making the Eye smaller. Its power cannot be judged by its size” He’s speaking loudly. I guess he can’t hear that well. “So long Adamus” He touches the cane to his forehead and disappears. I strain my hearing. I test my Earthquake Legacy to make sure he’s not near me. A small tremble. He’s gone. Does the Eye enable him to teleport? And what is my new Legacy? Am I a siren or something? A siren that can only target one person it would seem.

I trudge back to the car. If Ra knew I was coming he sure didn’t expect me having Legacies. Or be willing to fight. I arrive at the car to find it undamaged. I quickly check it for any tracking devices. Ra may have planted something on the car to get me to lead him to the Garde. That would explain why he was friendly at first. I drop the tablet and drape the pendant around my neck. It feels right sitting there. Like that is where it belongs. My hands shake. I try to calm down. Try to ease my breathing. My adrenaline is high. And I feel it, the guilt. Six and Seven, dead. I picture their last moments. Distracted by my disappearing. I wonder how they died. Was it quick? Ra said that one of them was quick, did the other suffer? I realise that they don’t have to be dead. I can still save them. Six and Seven are alive. And I’m more determined than ever to find them and kill Ra. I will unite the Garde and I will kill Ra with my very own hands. Malcolm stirs.

“Did it work?” he says

“I’ve got the tablet” I say “I’m not exactly sure how to work it”

“That’s what you brought me for” he says, patting me on the shoulder

“I take it you remember how to work it”

“Of course” he says, as though the question were ludicrous

“It’s just. In the future your memory isn’t what it used to be. You were held captive for eight years. You forgot a lot of things”

“Eight years” he says. He looks lost in thought. I leave him to it. After a while he speaks. “Where to now?”

“You have the tablet” I say “Whichever is closest. Or we can start overseas, start bringing everyone to America. You decide Malcolm. We’ve got six years. Maybe less considering what I have just learnt”

“What happened?” he asks seriously “Is my family alright?”

“They’re fine. I ran into Setrάkus Ra. He followed me back in time by corrupting the Loric entity”

“Ra is here? We are doomed” he says

“Not exactly. The entity was able to strip him of his powers, except for his Dreynan” Malcolm stares at me confusedly “Dreynan allows him to rid Garde near him of their Legacies. But only if they are near him. Lorien also managed to trap him in his human form”

“What was he doing at my house?” asks Malcolm

“He said he was waiting for me. I guess he knew I would come to inspect the well, see its contents” Then I remember something “No. He wanted me to open it for him. He said I had something he needed. The tablet. He wanted it to find the Garde” The pendant weighs down on my neck.

Malcolm nods. “Maybe. But if he’s stuck in a mortal form, what good is the tablet going to do him? He may be able to find his past self. But what Mog would let him close enough for him to tell them about, well, everything” The pendant grows heavier. As though it’s trying to tell me something. I take it off and stare at it in my palm. It glows. “Is that Pittacus’ pendant?” Malcolm asks

“Yes”

“So that’s why he was there” says Malcolm, slapping a hand to his forehead “He needs the pendant”

I hold up the pendant “This thing? It’s just a pendant”

Malcolm shakes his head “Oh, no Adam. Don’t be deceived. Its power cannot be-“

“-judged by its size” I finish “Ra said the same thing about a cane he had with him”

“Inside the cane is a small gemstone. Inside the pendant is a small gemstone. Combined they could accomplish wonders, or atrocities. Combined they would have the power to return Ra to his form and more. They would give him power like he has never known” Malcolm stares at the pendant

“How do you know all this?” I ask him

“Pittacus brought a journal to Earth. It took me a while to decrypt it, but I did. It turns out it wasn’t a journal, it was a letter to me. He knew he didn’t have much time so he wrote down the important points. With both gem stones. Ra could do some serious damage.”

“Luckily I got to it first then” I place the pendant around my neck once more, expecting it to be heavy again. But it’s not, it feels, again, as though it belongs there “The safest place it could possibly be right now, is with us. So Malcolm, have you decided? Which Garde do we contact first?”

“Well…”


	8. Chapter 8

It has been five years since I’ve seen that face. I’ve grown, I’ve just turned 19. I guess he may have grown too. He’d be around 25 by now. He contacts me occasionally. Where he is, where he’s going, what he’s done. Stuff like that. He says we have to keep in touch so we can notify each other about current events or some bullshit. Part of me thinks he’s just lonely and needs someone other than the old guy he has with him to talk to. I sit in my motel room. Hilde and I have just finished our daily training. As usual it has left me sweaty and exhausted. My Legacies have developed. My Earthquake Generation Legacy showed itself about two weeks after Adam left. Later on came the others. I can alter my own size. Hilde calls it Size Manipulation. Basically I can make myself really small, or really big, but I still retain my original strength when I’m in both forms. So making myself bigger doesn’t make me stronger. The biggest I’ve been able to get is to be 6 foot tall. Adding half a foot doesn’t really seem like much though. The smallest I’ve been able to get is around the height of a basketball. I guess that’s the main purpose for this Legacy, to become small, not big. My third Legacy to form was a shield of some kind. I could create a bubble around myself. My last Legacy to form was my ability to control Earth. Hilde says it’s called Geokinesis. I guess it could be useful at some point. But when that may be, I have no idea. It was supposed to be my Master Legacy after all. What am I supposed to do with that? Throw rocks at Mogs?

Hilde says everything has its purpose though, and one day it’ll all make sense. I wonder how long Adam will be. The last time we spoke he said he was bringing Eight to us. All of the Garde are waiting in America. Only Adam knows the location of each one. All I know is that they are close, but not close enough to break the charm. I haven’t spoken to Adam in a week. It’s weird. I usually talked to him every couple of days. Even if it was just for a few minutes. Sometimes the talks went for a lot longer. I have grown more comfortable talking to him. I’m trying to be less sarcastic and demeaning. I try to forget that he’s a Mog. He’s proven himself dedicated to our cause. He had even killed his father in Russia. And on top of that he says he killed the rest of his family back in Ashwood Estates. That is some cold shit. And if it’s true, then I can’t really doubt his allegiance.

“Dinner” calls Hilde from the kitchen. I get up off my bed and make my way to the kitchen.

“Hey” I say when I reach the kitchen

“Hey” says Hilde “I’m worried about Adam”

I raise my eyebrows “I didn’t realise you two had gotten close”

“Oh shut up” she says “It’s been a week or so hasn’t it? He said everything was nearly in place”

“Maybe he has bad cell reception” I offer. But I know Hilde is right. Adam has been gone for too long. Hilde looks worried “He can handle himself” I say

I saw firsthand what Adam can do. And if the stories he has been telling are true, and he did face Setrάkus Ra, then Adam has grown more powerful than I anticipated. It turns out he was right. Lorien gifted him with a full set of Legacies. We share the Earthquake Generation, he is also telepathic, can control water, and is fast. I’m not sure how fast he is. He hasn’t said. His exact words were “Shit just slows down when I run. It’s weird”

We sit in silence eating our dinner. Someone knocks on the door. I say the challenge “Who am I?” I ask

“I don’t know” replies an impatient voice “Listen lady, this is hotel management. Your rent is due today. Come on, I got kids to feed” I open the door. Every night he comes by to collect our nightly rent.

I notice something is wrong immediately, that look on his face. He is terrified. I shut the door and dive out of the way. Too late. An explosion rocks the front of our room. I was able to avoid most of the shock by diving. I wonder if Hilde had seen that coming. HILDE.

“Hilde” I scream “Hilde, where are you?” The manager must have had a bomb strapped to him or something. Footsteps. I look at what used to be the doorway. Now it’s a gaping hole in the wall. A Mog scout walks in the door, followed by a man that looks more like a celebrity. It’s Ra. The future Ra. Adam had told me what he now looks like.

“Number One” he says as he steps through the former door. “A pleasure”

“Fuck off” I spit

He laughs. “Yes I have been warned that you are a fighter”

I try to shrink. Nothing happens. I try to create my shield. Nothing happens. I try and create an Earthquake. Nothing happens. I had forgotten about his Dreynan. He is around four metres from me. Of course I can’t use my Legacies. One of the Mogs raises his blaster and fires, a yellow sphere of energy bursts from the barrel. It hits me where I lie. I’m stunned, literally I’m stunned. I can see and feel everything but I cannot move a muscle. I can’t blink, I can’t do anything. The two scouts go to pick me up.

“Wait” commands Ra “I want her to see this. Show her” the two scouts pick me up and face me towards where Hilde and I were having dinner. I can see Hilde now. She’s lying in a heap of rubble with a large piece of the door piercing her abdomen. She’s coughing up blood.

“One” she says

“Oh look, she recognises you. Strong woman” says Ra striding towards Hilde. “The pain must be unbearable”

I try to scream at him, tell him to get the fuck away from her. But I can’t move, I can’t speak, I’m powerless.

Ra draws out a small sword. “I want you to watch, helpless” he plunges the sword into her heart. I want to look away. I want to scream. Hilde was my best friend. Hilde looks me in the eye as her life seeps out of her. With a final gasp she falls limp. Never to get up again. I want to cry, but I can’t. All I can do is watch as Ra says something in Mogadorian to the scouts. They give me to him. I feel repulsed by his touch. I hear something crackling. “If you’re wondering what that smell is” he says “That is the smell of my scouts burning your beloved Cêpan. There will be nothing except for ash”

He throws me with surprising strength into a black van that is parked out the front. He sits in the back with me. Watching me. We wait for the Mogs to return. They hop in the front and we pull out. Why hasn’t he killed me yet? He reaches over and readjusts my arms so my wrists are close together. I can’t repel his touch. He places some handcuffs on me. He then pulls out a vial of green liquid from his jeans pocket. He injects me with the vial. Slowly I regain the ability to move. I sit up.

“There we are. Feeling better? The effects of the stun gun should be wearing off” he says

“Why am I still alive?” I say through gritted teeth. I strain against the handcuffs, they don’t budge.

“Ah yes, that’s Mogadorian steel. Far stronger than the steel they use here on Earth. You won’t be breaking out of those anytime soon. And” he continues “I need you One”

“For what? I’m the first in line, no charm protects me”

“Oh I know. But why kill you, when I can kill the entire Garde”

“It was Adam wasn’t it? He gave us up, what did you offer him? I swear if I see him again I’ll rip his heart out”

Ra chuckles “Quite the opposite actually. We found you by accident. Merely a traffic camera caught you running a red light. Your photo was uploaded to the police database. And just like that” he clicks his fingers “We found you”

“I thought Adam had erased all of your data” I say, but right now it seems that what Adam may have done doesn’t matter, he sold me out. After all this time, to think I had trusted him.

“He did” says Ra “A minor annoyance, set us back 4 years. But we had backups. We’ve conquered most of the known universe, if this has taught me anything it’s always have a contingency plan. We had hardcopies of every single bit of information we’ve gathered. Including a photo of you”

So that’s how they found me. A picture of me running a red light. Caught by a stupid fucking mistake, again. And Hilde died for that mistake.

“You haven’t answered my question, why not kill me and get it over with?”

He sighs “And I told you, why kill you when I can kill the entire Garde?”

“I don’t understand”

“We have apprehended the traitor Adamus. He has been quite reluctant to share any vital information with us. Which is why I’m on the way there, to make him more, open to discussion. I have heard he has a soft spot for you. Let’s see if he’ll divulge information when I start cutting your fingers off one by one” So Adam wasn’t a traitor. I feel bad immediately. I had thought without a doubt that he had betrayed me. “I would also like for him to divulge the whereabouts of a tablet and a pendant. Both of great importance to me. It would seem as though he hid them. Or gave them to Eight”

“Eight?”

“Yes, Eight. Adam was bringing Eight from India. We have a contact there who alerted us of Adam’s arrival. And when he returned we set a trap for him. Sadly, though, Eight eluded us. With, apparently, the locator and the pendant. Now that’s where you come in” he looks at me “You will make him tell us where Eight has gone, and the locations of the other Garde. Or I torture and kill you in front of him” he smiles

“I thought you had a magic cane that could make people tell the truth” I say. Adam had told me in one of our phone conversations.

He smile widens “Ah you know about the Eye of Thaloc” He draws a small cane, about the size of a ruler out of his jacket pocket. “Yes, I plan on using it on Adamus as soon as we arrive. I have not had a chance to question him yet. As I said before, I have only just arrived. Arrived in time for all the fun as it transpires”

I’m uneasy as to what Ra considers fun. “I thought you said you already tortured Adam for information”

“I said ‘we have’, my workers. They work messily though. Blood and parts everywhere. Adam is barely alive right now. That technique yielded little results. So if the Eye does not work, which it will, I’ll kill him. Put him out of his misery. And if it does work. I’ll kill him anyway”

“No” I accidentally say out loud. Now that I’m faced with mine and Adam’s impending death I realise that Adam is the closest thing to a friend I’ve had in a long time. Even though I haven’t seen him in years. I had never gone a week without talking to him, hearing his voice.

Setrάkus Ra leers at me “Oh, hohohoh” he chuckles. A look of glee on his face “This is too good. Not only does he have a soft spot for you, but you have a soft spot for him. That will make this ‘meeting’ of ours go so much smoother. You don’t want to see me hurt him. Would you like to see what my men have done to him? He may be hard to recognise, but it’s still Adamus, I assure you” He pulls small photographs out of the jacket pocket where the cane had come from. He shows them to me. It’s Adam. Five years older than he was. It’s hard to tell how the years have changed him. He’s shirtless. Wearing only boxers. Deep, precise slashes cover his torso and back. They’re everywhere, down his legs, his arms, only his face is void of the cuts.

“This is what awaits you if Adam refuses to cooperate” says Ra. Watching me look at the pictures in horror. “I expect once I’ve started with you Adam will be all too pleased to tell me everything I want to know”

“He won’t tell you shit” I say. I spit in his face. That wipes the smirk of the bastards face. He looks at me menacingly

“That was not very nice” He reaches for his pistol that he has holstered on his belt. He points it at me. “Someone needs to be taught some manners” Once again I am engulfed by yellow light. I can see and hear everything. But I can’t move. The van stops “It looks like we’re here” says Ra.

 


	9. Chapter 9

The last day has been a blur. Or maybe it’s been more than a day. I don’t know. I’m hanging from the ceiling. The room has a low roof. So my feet are nearly touching the floor. My arms and legs are splayed out diagonally. Each of my limbs is handcuffed and is attached to the wall by a long piece of wire. Every so often they tighten the wire, stretching my legs further apart, pulling my arms from their sockets. It’s a slow, painful torture. But they’ll have to do better than that to break me. I don’t know why, but the handcuffs they have on me limit my strength somehow, I feel weak. Every hour they spray me with some kind of gas. I’m not sure what it does. But after around five minutes they stop, and I feel weaker. Only to grow stronger and then be gassed again. The gas isn’t painful, it’s just an annoyance. But what my captors don’t realise is that this is what I wanted, what I had factored into the equation, what I deemed necessary to happen.

The slashes on my body were precise. Missing vital organs and arteries. I guess they perfected this technique on other humans. They slashes are arranged in vertical, parallel line down my back. On my chest and legs the cuts are diagonal, but also parallel. I have never known this type of pain. But I can’t give in, inside my head is the location of every single one of the Garde. They’ve tried to look in my head. But it doesn’t work on me. It’s been unsuccessful, every time they try I can sense that they fail. I can see it on the faces of the workers, the frustration.

The Mogadorian true born that administers the cuts enters the room. “Adamus” he says genially “Our Beloved Leader is very disappointed in our inability to pry information from you. So he has brought it upon himself to make a visit. And as I understand it” he smiles “He’s brining you a little incentive”

“Your Beloved Leader can go fuck himself” I try and spit on the Mog. He’s too far away.

“That kind of behaviour will not be tolerated when Ra arrives. I suggest you keep your comments to yourself”

“He doesn’t scare me” I say, trying to put conviction into my voice.

“Well, he should. I have been demoted from my position in his council because of my failure to get answers” he says angrily. He walks up to me, drawing the dagger from his belt. “The Beloved Leader wants time alone with you when he gets here. So this is our last chance to play. Now…” he rest the tip of the dagger on my stomach. “Where are the other Garde?”

“Ok” I say “Ok. I’ll tell you” he looks at me expectantly “Mars” He slashes the dagger diagonally. Pain sears through my chest. I grit my teeth in an effort not to scream. Acknowledging the pain would only give him satisfaction, and I can’t have that.

“That was not the answer I was looking for Adamus. Now where are the other Garde?”

My eyes go wide in astonishment and fear “Behind you”

He goes to slash at me again but a voice stops him “That will be enough” It’s Ra, and One. One is lying down, motionless on a stretcher. The tears come, I’ve failed. She is dead. It was my job to protect her, and I have failed again. I had not factored One into my equation, how is she here? She shouldn’t be here.

My torturer bows and takes his leave. Exiting out of the same door he came through.

“So we meet again Adamus” he says “Don’t look so grim” he follows my gaze “Oh, yes, One. She’s not dead”

I should be relieved but I know why he has brought her here. He’s going to make me watch them torture her until I give up the other Garde. I wished she was dead. Now she is going to either endure agonising pain, or watch me give up the last of her kind.

He touches her with the small golden cane and her eyes open. I remember what Malcolm said about the cane, a set of two, the only other is in Pittacus’ pendant. Luckily when I knew that Eight and I were cornered I gave him the essentials and told him to teleport away. Even if I die, which I don’t plan on doing, Eight can still unite the Garde.

“Do you remember our last conversation Adamus?” I’m a little distracted. One has grown, she looks like she’s nineteen or around there, and I can’t deny it, she’s hot. What am I thinking? Focus Adamus, focus.

“Yeah, I remember I kicked your ass and you ran away like a bitch” I sneer

He grins “I was referring to our conversation about the Eye. Do you know it can make people speak the truth? I did tell you that”

I’m scared. He knows the Eye will make me talk, he only brought One because he wanted to watch me suffer. We were never getting out of this alive.

He strides towards me “Tell me Adam, what is on your mind right now” he presses the Eye to my forehead. I feign a struggle

“One” I say

His grin widens “Oh. She must be special to you Adam, for you to risk so much”

I could stop myself, but this method might prove to be advantages. I continue to pretend the Eye is affecting me “I loved her” I say through gritted teeth.

One watches me, still seated on her stretcher. Handcuffed to it. I guess they’re the same handcuffs as mine because she looks weak. Not like the One I know

“How touching” he says “We can get to the more heartfelt part of the conversation later. Adamus” he presses the Eye harder into my forehead. “Where are the other Garde?”

 

I watch as Ra questions Adamus. His confession of love shocked me, but I realised his tense. He had said ‘loved’. He doesn’t love me, he loved the other me. The Eye works. Ra doesn’t need me. All hope goes out of me. He’s going to kill me in front of Adam to spite him. To make him suffer.

“Where are the other Garde?” says Ra. This is it. It’s all over. Years of planning undone. Adam will tell Ra where he hid everyone and Ra will kill them all.

Adam is sweating, struggling. He’s going to give them up, I realise. We never should have trusted him.

“F…” he starts. Ra leans closer to him. All I can do is watch “F..uck you”

Ra’s eyes widen “Impossible. Noone can resist the power of the Eye. How are you doing this?”

He looks at me. And I can hear him in my head. “When I give the signal, run. Do not look back”

“Adamus. You will answer me” commands Ra “How did you resist?”

Adam smiles and straightens in his chains “I’ve always been able to, Ra. I needed you to capture me. I didn’t expect you getting to One. But no matter”

“What are you speaking of boy?”

Adam effortlessly breaks his chains. “Your men haven’t gassed me in a while” he rips open the handcuffs. Now I have the chance to look at him. He’s grown. Not up but out. He’s gotten bigger and more muscular. No longer the scrawny boy I met in the police station. For the first time Ra looks scared. “Oh yes, I know the gas prohibits my Legacies from working. And your Dreynan is supposed to Ra. But you are weak” He speaks to me telepathically again “Run” he says in my mind. I don’t I’m frozen. He looks directly at me. Beseeching me. I don’t want to run, I want Ra to pay for what he’s done.

Adam walks towards Ra and Ra screams. Adam isn’t doing anything though. Ra’s ears suddenly start to pour blood.

“I needed you to capture me, so I could find you and kill you myself. Goodbye Ra” Adam closes the gap between him and Ra in the blink of an eye. I don’t see how it happened but suddenly Adam is standing over a limp and unmoving Ra, Ra’s head is bent at an unnatural angle “That was for Six and Seven you piece of shit” Adam spits on Ra’s body. It disintegrates. Turning into ash. The only thing that remains is a small golden cane and a pile of clothes. Adam picks up the cane.

“How?” I say as he walks over to me. He rips my handcuffs off. He shrugs

“Come on. I’ll explain later” he grabs my hand

I follow him out of the door. Once outside Adam says “Wait here”

“Where are you going?” I say. I feel weak and don’t want to be left alone right now

“You’ll be fine. I would never let anyone hurt you. I’ll be back, I promise”

He runs, faster than I’ve ever seen anyone run, one second he’s here, and the next he’s a blur. I can hear screams in the distance. Adam reappears in front of me, out of breath and covered in ash.

“What did you do?” I ask

He pulls me along “Paid a visit to that Trueborn who was with me when you walked in” We stop at a T-intersection. Both hallways looks long with many possible pathways. “Um” he says

“What?” I say “What’s wrong?”

He spits something into his hand. A small blue stone. “For one. I could not keep that in my mouth any longer” he shudders. “And two, I kinda don’t know where to go”

“Seriously?” he shrugs “Um, well. I came in from that hallway” I point to the left hallway.

“Are you sure?” he asks

“Yeah. I’m sure”

“Please don’t hit me” he says. Before I can fathom a reply he picks me up. First I’m surprised. Then it’s kind of gross. His cuts still bleed. He’s still shirtless. Not only can I feel his abs pressed against me, but I can feel his blood coating my clothes. Suddenly we are a blur of wind and light. My head spins. A second later we are outside. He sets me down. I throw up. He pats me on the back “Sorry about that” he says

“You…bastard” I say between heaves.

“I’m sorry, but I really wanted to get out of there” He traces one of his slashes.

I calm down. Ok, that just happened. It was probably the weirdest feeling of my life. His blood is still on me, gross.

“Sorry” he says “It’s not that weird” he actually looks a tiny bit insecure

“Wait” I say “Are you reading my mind?” I snarl

Adam looks incredibly guilty “Um, no, maybe” he says with a shrug

I swing at him, a wild vicious swing. I’m not really mad at him, but Hilde is dead now. Adam killed Ra and he’s the only thing I can vent all my anger on. But he disappears and suddenly he’s behind me.

“I’m sorry One. I’m sorry you lost Hilde. I really am”

Now I’m actually mad at him, he’s reading my mind again “Stop…”I swing, he disappears “Doing…” I swing once more, his body becomes a blur and he dodges “That”

My arms go limp and my body sags. I fall to my knees and start to cry. Hilde is gone, and she’s never coming back. I could not save her. I wasn’t strong enough. We should have been safer, I should have been better.

Adam kneels in front of me. I have no more fight left in me. “I’m sorry” he says “I should have been there. But I’d thought you would be safe, if I knew my plan had endangered you I would have never done it” he hugs me. I return the hug. Not caring about his bloodstained clothes. He winces.

I had just slid my hand over one of his deep lacerations “Oh, I’m sorry” I say quickly. Not sarcastically

“I know you’re scared, I know you’re sad One” he starts

“Stop reading my mind Adam” I say. I hate him, especially him, knowing what’s going on in my head

“I didn’t” he says. We are still knelt in the grass. “Come on” he says. Offering his hand. I take it and he lifts me up with little to no effort. “Do you object to more running?” he asks

“I’m not exactly a fan of it” I say. In truth I really hate it.

“Don’t be like that” he says

I swing. He dodges “I didn’t actually read your mind this time. You are really easy to read”

“I’m a good liar” I protest

He gives me a disbelieving glance. “I know you One. You really aren’t”

“Didn’t you say we have to go or something” I say, trying to change the subject.

He looks to the horizon apparently deep in thought. “Yeah” he says. He’s still holding the small blue stone he spat out and the cane he took off of Ra. Well I guess he has nowhere else to put them. Considering he’s only wearing boxers. I catch myself staring at his abs. Which are clearly defined behind the deep scars. I don’t know how long I stare. But suddenly Adam clears his throat and I jump “You ok?” he asks, eyebrows raised

“I’m fine, it’s just. Those scars. They need to be healed, and quick”

He looked down at his chest as if noticing the array of thin, deep, diagonal scars that littered his chest in a parallel pattern. He shrugs.

“So you don’t object to me running us there?” he asks

“Where exactly are we going?”

“The only Garde’s that have healing capabilities are Four and Seven. But I don’t think Four has his yet. So I guess Seven.”

“And where is Seven” I say

“Not far. I kept her close because I knew what they were going to do to me” he casts his eyes down at his body.

“Can you even run dude?” I ask. Knowing full well he ran us out of that place. But that wasn’t even for a second. This run of his could last a minute, or more. I don’t really know where Seven is or how fast he can run.

He smiles, picks me up before I can even make a single protest and we speed off. The wind howls in my ears. A constant high pitch whistle. More of Adam’s blood leaks onto me. The entire world is a blur of lights and flashing colours. I have no sense of how far we’ve travelled but around 20 seconds of this high speed running we stop. Adam is out of breath. He lowers me to the ground. I take a second

“You ok? You look like you’re about to puke”

I squat. “I’m fine, I just need a second” He shrugs

“Adamus?” comes a voice. A girl’s voice. I look up and see what must be Seven.

We are outside of a small cottage. I only now realise that we are surrounded by woodland. Tall pine trees stand guard all around us. The only indication of human habitation is the small, winding dirt road that leads off into the distance and the small wooden cottage that looks more like a hunting cabin.

“Oh my God Adam. What happened to you?” she hugs him.

“Ow. Damn Marina” he says

She looks at her feet “I’m sorry, I just, it’s good to see actual people. Who’s your friend?” she gestures at me. I’m still squatting in the ground. I still feel sick, like I’m constantly dizzy from that high speed running.

“I’m Number One” I say. I wave meekly “Hi”

Seven, or Marina as Adam called her elbows Adam in the arm and nods “So” she says with a devilish smirk “This is the infamous One”

“Come on Marina, cut it out” interrupts Adam “Can you heal these? Please?”

“Alright” she sighs “But it’ll feel funny”

“I know, remember that incident with the goat, razor, car, and the illegal immigrant?”

Marina nods seriously “Yeah, that was” she takes a deep breath “…crazy”

I’m torn between laughing and taking this seriously, because they are. They look like some real shit actually went down involving a goat, razor, a car and an illegal immigrant.

Marina starts to heal Adam’s wounds. It’s mesmerising. When she wipes her hands over Adam’s wound, her hands emit a faint blue glow and Adam’s injuries start to mend themselves. The skin reforms and covers the injured area. Marina’s brow is furrowed, and so is Adam’s.

“What’s wrong?” Adam asks her

“It’s just, they’re not healing properly. I don’t know if it’s been too long, or they used some special knife. But the scars, they aren’t going away”

“Just keep going” he says through gritted teeth

10 minutes of Marina wiping her hands over Adam and she’s done. All that remains are thin white scars.

“Damn” Says Adam “It looks like I was some manic depressive” He observes his scars and then shrugs “I guess it could be worse”

I look at Marina. She looks as though she’s just been told she’s got three hours to live. She’s swaying where she stands. She falls.

Adam uses his super speed to run over and catch her before she hits the ground

“Hey, Marina. You ok?” she opens her eyes

“Yeah, I’m just exhausted. Healing really takes a toll on me. Especially that much”

“Yeah, I’ve got you. Just rest” she nods and Adam carries her through the open doorway of the cabin. The inside looks to be a single room. The walls covered in what looks like stuffed animal heads. Upon further inspection I discover that there is only one other room. This other room has three things in it. A toilet, a sink with a mirror above it and a shower. In the main room there is a double bed, a couch, a fireplace and a small kitchen area that only has a sink, a single walk in cupboard and what looks to be an ancient stove.

“This is quaint” I say as Adam sets Marina down on the couch.

“Yeah. Sorry I couldn’t fix her up with a 5 star hotel” he says

“You could have fixed me up with a hotel. But no, its” I try an imitation of his voice “’One, go to these real stingy motels, it’ll keep you safe, blah blah blah’”

He grins “Well. This is a riveting chat. But, as you can see, I have been deprived of the simple luxuries in life” He starts towards me

“Whoa, what do you think is about to happen buddy? Because, really, it’s not. And frankly I will kick your ass if you try” He keeps walking towards me.

I’m kind of nervous. I grow myself to 6 foot to try and intimidate him but he is still a head taller than me.

“Very funny” He says. Only now I realise that he has stopped walking. He’s just standing in front of me, looking at me pointedly. I turn and realise that I am standing in the doorway to the bathroom.

“Oh” I say “You want to shower”

“Yeah” he says as if it were obvious “This was never anything sexual. I mean, you could join me in the shower if you’d like” he starts

I swing at him, he dodges. It’s infuriating

“Shut up” I say to thin air. I turn to see Adam now standing in the bathroom, he had zipped past me.

“Can you, like, move?” he says “I don’t necessarily have a problem with you watching me shower, but Marina, she might not take it so well”

I slam the door in his face. I walk over to the only bed in the cabin and flop onto it. I’m so tired. It has to be around midnight. The shower starts. I think about what Adam said ‘you can join me in the shower if you’d like’. Some part of me wanted to know what that would be like. No. He is the enemy. That may be true but he’s kind of hot. No, I can’t be having this argument with myself. He likes you though, Hilde had said so. Then a thought struck me. Where was Seven’s Cêpan? Marina had said it was nice to see actual people. How long has she been out here? Alone and without a Cêpan to guide her. I look over at her still form. Her chest rising and falling. Her breath coming slow and steady. I start to drift. I can feel sleep enveloping me, welcoming me into its warm grace.

“ONE” yells Adam

I growl “What?” I yell back and then curse myself. I don’t want to wake Seven

“I kind of didn’t think this through” he says

“What do you mean?” I ask, walking to the door, only now I realise that the water has turned off.

“I mean. The only towel in here is Marina’s, and I don’t have a spare set of clothes”

Oh this was too good. Adam trapped and naked in a bathroom. With no way of getting any of his clothes. I recalled him telling me that he gave everything to Eight, or did he?

Part of me wants to kick open the door, half to humiliate him and half out of curiosity.

“Well” I say, drawing out the word “I don’t have anything that’ll fit you. I guess you’ll have to stay in there until you can find some clothes”

“Wait” he says “I have a better idea” The door opens and for a second I wait in anticipation. This is going to be hilarious. But what did he mean by a better idea? He is naked in there? Is he going to rush me or some shit? A blur of wind is all that signifies his leaving. I twist my neck fast enough to see him race out of the front door. I’m confused. That seems to happen a lot lately.

I look in the bathroom. Nothing. Did he just leave me out here?

About 3 minutes later I’m lying on the bed. Again I start to drift. I’m so tired. I just want to sleep. Then a loud whoosh and the bathroom door closes.

“Adam?” I say

I hear rustling coming from inside the bathroom. Adam opens the door. “Ta da” he says. Spinning in a circle as though he is a model showing off his clothes. He’s wearing a long sleeve shirt and some track pants.

“Did you steal those?” I ask, pointing at the clothes

“No” he says indignantly. I now look and see that he is holding a duffel bag in his left hand, his duffel bag.

“Where did you get that?” I ask, pointing at the duffel

“Oh yeah. I just went for a quick run back to that Mog base and got my duffel back” he lifts it up to show me

“You snuck into a Mog base naked?” I say, the grin effortlessly finding my lips

“Well, it’s not like they saw anything”

“Yeah I bet, Adam junior too small to see?” I ask playfully

“Hey” he says “His name is Adam the Second. If you’re gonna insult me, you better get it right” He sets the duffel down on the floor next to the door. He walks back into the bathroom and picks up the small blue stone and the cane from the basin. He puts them into a deep pocket in his pants. He then zips up the pocket.

He looks around the room. I lie back on the bed. Relishing in its warmth. It’s cold out here, and the bed provides a little comfort.

“Hey” he says, all joking in his voice gone “It’s good to see you” He’s kneeling next to his duffel, staring at me

“Yeah” is all I reply. He stares into his duffel for a second and then pulls out a set of blue winter pyjamas. “Those would look good on you” I say

He smiles and then throws them to me. “They’re not for me. I can tell you’re freezing, drop the tough girl act. Take a shower, get into some warm clothes”

I don’t know what to say. Usually Adam and I just joke around but he’s being genuinely nice to me. It’s a strange, and not entirely unwanted feeling

“Thanks” How does this guy know me so well? The shower is surprisingly warm. While I’m showering I realise what he’s done. He’s told me to go for a shower so he can quickly sleep in the bed. When I come out he’ll be fast asleep in the bed. And the only options I’ll have are to hop in with him, or sleep on the cold, hard floor. Well played Adam, well played.

I finish my shower quickly and get dressed in the pyjamas Adam gave me. They are surprisingly warm and comfortable. I grab up all of my dirty clothes and open the bathroom door. I expect to see Adam on the bed, but he’s not. He is fast asleep on the floor. Curled up in a ball next to the couch where Marina is currently asleep.

I have a sudden burst of affection for Adam. He is a true friend, maybe the only one I have. This realisation makes me miss Hilde even more than I already do. I suddenly feel guilty. I had automatically thought the worst of him without a doubt. I had expected him to take the bed and leave me on the cold floor.

“Adam” I say, walking over to him

“Yeah” he grumbles. I kneel down next to him “It is a double bed you know? We can both fit on it” he opens his eyes a fraction and smiles “If you try anything though, don’t think I’ll hesitate to throw your ass through the roof”

His smiles widens “It’s okay. I’m fine here” He pats me on the shoulder “Get some rest One, you deserve it” His eyes flutter closed and his breath goes into a steady rhythm.

I walk to the bed. Well, I did offer. I climb in, and slide under the sheets. The comfort and warmth I feel are amazing. There is a sudden rustling sound. Adam stands and walks over to the bed. At first I think he’s going to take me up on my offer. But instead he just opens a drawer in the bedside table and pulls out a thick, woolly blanket.

“The only other one” he whispers “Don’t worry. You can have the bed to yourself. You’re not getting lucky tonight One” he winks and begins to walk back to the couch.

“Funny” I reply, watching him walk back to the couch. I expect him to lay down and snuggle into the blanket. But once more he defies my expectations. He places the blanket tenderly over Marina who smiles in her sleep. He then lays back down on the cold ground and I listen as his breath falls into a steady rhythm, in, out, in, out.


End file.
